Adjustable earth implement



Jan. 19, 1937. A, w.NT.':Rs 2,068,215

ADJUSTABLE EARTH IMPLEMENT Filed Jan. 20, 1936 I3 um "Elli:

INVENTOR. Chester A .Winters ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 19, 1937 5 Claims.

' Theprincipal object of my invention is to provide a cultivating device that permits the earth engaging element to be easily and quickly adjusted both as to height and angle of attack.

A further object of; my invention is to provide a manually operated cultivating device that may be adjusted to conform to the height, characteristics of the user. V

A still further object of this invention is to provide 'an earth conditioning implement that is economical in manufacture and durable in use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 7

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the'objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. lis aside view of my device ready for us with dotted lines showing the adjustable features.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device.

Fig. '3 is'an enlarged view of a portion of my device taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and more fully illustrating the construction of the adjustable locking mechanism.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the left side of the adjustablelocking portion of the device with sections cut away to more fully illustrate the construction of the device.

The chief objections to ordinary hand cultivators are that their shovels are not readily adjustable in height relative to the handles and are not readily adjustable in angle of attack relative to the ground to be conditioned. While my invention may be applied to large riding cultivators and/or motorized or otherwise drawn cultivators, it is particularly adapted to the small manually operated cultivators used for garden work and as will hereinafter be appreciated, overcome objections now found in ordinary hand cultivators. Referring to the drawing, "I have used the numeral it to designate the ordinary front supporting wheel of such devices. The numerals ii and i2 designate the two rearwardly and upwardly extending bar members, which together, form the frame of the device. The wheel it is positioned between the forward end portions of the two bars H and 82.- The wheel It is rotatably positioned between thesetwo bars by the bolt 63 which extends through the forward ends f the bars H and i2 and through thehub of the wheel it. The numeral straight portion in the bar ll just back of the M designates awheel it. The numeral l5 designates a similar straight portion in the bar 112 just back of the wheel Hi. These two portions M and i5 are spacedapart from eachother and are directly opposite from each other, as shown in Fig. 2. From the portions i l and it'the bars H and I2 extend rearwardly, upwardly, eventually terminating in the two spaced apart curved handle portions iii and H.

The numeral l8 designates a brace bar extending between the bars H and i2 and positioned just forwardly of their handle portions l 6 and ii. The numeral 59 designates a strength-.

ening block on the outer side of the portion M. The numeral 28 designates a similar strengthening block on the outer side ofthe portion l5. The numerals 2i and 22 designate two bolts each extending through the portions M and i5 and blocks is and 2t. These two bolts 2! and 22 are spaced apart from each other, as shown in Fig. 1. The numeral 23 designates an arm extending rearwardly along the left side of the wheel"! and having its forward end portion pivoted on the bolt E3. The numeral 2 1 designates a similar arm extending along the right side of the wheel it! and having its forward end pivoted on the bolt 53. These two arms 23 and 24 are and outwardly,

pivoted on the bolt is inside of the bars H and 52, as shown in Fig. 2, and are joined together at their rear end portions back of the wheel ill. The numeral 25 designates a plurality of spaced apart horizontally arranged holes extending through the rear end portions of the arms 23 and 2d. posts having their lengths substantially parallel with each other and loosely extending between the two portions i l and i5 and between the bolts 2i and 22, as shown in Fig. 3. These two posts are secured to each other by any suitable means and extend on each side of the rear end portions of the arms 23 and M, respectively. The numeral 28 designates a bolt selectively extending through any one of the holes 25 and through the two posts 25 and 2? for pivotally securing the posts 26 and 2i to the arms 23 and 2s andalso for holding the two rear endsof the arms 23 and 2 3 together. The upper end portions of the posts 26 and 2? are each bent outwardly and away from each other to form a handle portion 29, as shown in Fig. 3.

The numeral 3d. designates a lever bar having its forward end located between the portions l4 and i5 andpivoted around the bolt 2i; This lever bar has its length extending along the right side of the post 21 and terminates into a The numerals 2t and 21 designate two handle portion 3| to the rear of the portions l5 and M and between the bars 23 and 24, as shown in Fig. 2. The numeral 32 designates a notch in the upper marginal edge portion of the lever bar 30 capable of engaging the bolt 22 between the two portions M and I5 when the lever bar is manually moved upwardly to a position as shown in Fig. 4. The numeral 33 designates serrations or like on the inner side of the fiat portion I4. The numeral 34 designates serrations or like on the right side of the post 26 capable of engaging the serrations or like on the inner side of the portion M. The numeral 35 designates a shovel or like earth engaging element detachably secured on the lower end of the posts 26 and 21.

The practical operation of the device is as follows: To place the device in condition for adjustment it is merely necessary to lower the lever 30 to a position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. With the lever in this position the posts 26 and 2'! may be moved upwardly or downwardly for adjustably positioning the earth engaging element 35 relative to the frame of the device. This lowering or raising of the earth engaging element relative to the bars II and I2 will give the desired depth the earth engaging element will cut into the ground. Obviously, the further the handle portion 29 is forced downwardly relative to the frame of the device, the deeper the element 35 will penetrate into the ground, and on the other hand, the higher the handle portion 29 is raised relative to the frame, the shallower the element 35 will engage the ground to be conditioned.

This up or down manual movement of the handle 29 will cause the arms 23 and 24 to pivot and swing both on the bolt 13 and on the bolt 28. Besides adjusting the member 35 for the desired penetration into the ground, the up and down adjustment of the handle 29 will also lower or raise the rear ends or handles l6 and I1 relative to the surface of the ground, thereby making possible the elevation adjustment of the handle portions l6 and I! to compensate for operators of different heights. By moving the handle 29 forwardly or rearwardly the angle of attack of the element 35 will be adjustably obtained. From this it will be seen that when the handle 29 is moved upwardly or downwardly the earth engaging element 35 will be vertically adjustably positioned relative to the surface of the ground or relative to the handles I6 and ll and by moving the handle 29 forwardly or rearwardly the posts 25 and 2'! will pivot on the bolt 28 to adjustably position the earth engaging element 35 at various angles to the vertical and closer or further away from the earth engaging portion of the wheel l0. After the earth engaging element 35 is properly positioned for the Work to be accomplished and for the height of the operator of the device, the handle portion 3| of the lever 38 is pulled upwardly to a position as shown in Fig. 4. As the frame of the device is made of suitable metal there is a certain amount of spring or give in it and when the lever 30 is moved upwardly to a position as shown in Fig. 2, it will wedge between the flat portion l5 and the post 21, as shown in Fig. 3, thereby rigidly holding the two posts 26 and 27 between the two portions I4 and I5 and against accidental movement relative to the frame of the device. The members I!) and 20 and the bolts 2! and 22 permit this wedging action, but limit the spreading movement of the portions 84 and I5 beyond certain degrees when the lever is moved upwardly.

In order that there will be no question as to the wedge holding of the posts 26 and 21 between the two portions l4 and I5 I have serrated or otherwise effected the inner side of the portion [4 and the right side of the post 26.

The post element of the device formed by the posts 26 and 21 may also be moved forwardly or rearwardly relative to the wheel I!) by selectively placing the bolt 28 in the various holes 25 in the bracket member which is composed of the two arms 23 and 24.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improved adjustable earth implement without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a frame having two spaced apart bars, a means for supporting one end of said frame, a bracket element having its front end hingedly secured to said frame, a post element hingedly secured between its two ends to said bracket member and having its upper end portion loosely extending between said two bars of said frame, and a lever bar hinged at one end to said frame and capable of being manually swung to a position between said two bars of said frame for wedging said post element against movement between said two bars of said frame.

2. In a device of the class described, a frame having two spaced apart bars, a means for supporting one end of said frame, a bracket element having its front end hingedly secured to said frame, a post element hingedly secured between its two ends to said bracket member and having its upper end portion loosely extending between said two bars of said frame, a lever bar hinged at one end to said frame and capable of being manually swung to a position between said two bars of said frame for wedging said post element against movement between said two bars of said frame, and serrations on one of said two bars and on said post element.

3. In a device of the class described, a frame having two spaced apart bars, a means for supporting one end of said frame, a bracket element having one of its ends hingedly secured to said frame, a post element hingedly secured between its two ends to said bracket member and having its upper end portion loosely extending between said two bars of said frame, an earth engaging member on the lower end portion of said post element, and a lever bar hinged at one end to said frame and capable of being manually swung to a position between said two bars of said frame for wedging said post element against movement between said two bars of said frame at times.

4. In a device of the class described, a frame having two spaced apart bars, a wheel for supporting said frame, a bracket element hingedly secured to said frame, a post element hingedly secured between its two ends tosaid bracket member and having its upper end portion loosely extending between said two bars of said frame and capable of both vertical and horizontal movement relative to said two bars of said frame, an earth engaging member on the lower end of said post and a lever bar hinged at one end to said frame and capable of being manually swung to a position between said two bars of said frame for wedging said post element against movement between said two bars of said frame.

5. In a device of the class described, a frame having two spaced apart bars, a means for supporting one end of said frame, a bracket element having its front end hingedly secured to said frame, a post element adjustably hingedly secured between its two ends to said bracket member and having its upper end portion loosely extending between said two bars of said frame, and a lever bar hinged at one end to said. frame and capable of being manually swung to a position between said two bars of said frame for 5 wedging said post element against movement between said two bars of said frame.

CHESTER A. WINTERS. 

